A/N: SUMMER VACATION! Thank goodness. The last few weeks have been crazy, but hopefully it will settle down now.
In other news, about Hermione's little clue. Let me begin by saying how proud I am of my readers. You little nitpickers! You pulled apart and found meanings to things I didn't even notice! You're amazing. However, no one mentioned the hint I was getting at. So here's another hint for y'all. Dolarn and Tom Marvolo Riddle I am Lord Voldemort. Let me know your new guess. Cheesecakes for those who figure it out. Cookies for everyone because LJFan wants one.
And everyone thank TheDaughterOfKings for not so subtly pushing me to get this chapter posted. Thanks for that!
I promise I tried to update sooner, but is my computer the only one that fanfiction went completely crazy on? Oh well, it's up now!
How many reviews are we up to now? 79? Wow. Thank you so much. I'm glad to know I'm entertaining people and I hope I continue to do so. Let's see how close we get to 100 with this chapter. Can we make it to 100? I'm ok if we can't, but I'd be ecstatic if we did, and don't you want me to be ecstatic?
Disclaimer: I own no characters, settings, or names. I own the plot though. Mine! All mine!
"Ron?" Harry asked. "Ron? What are you scribbling on that piece of paper? Blimey, you haven't taken up Arithmancy have you?"
"Sixty two days, three hours, and twenty-eight minutes." Ron mumbled.
"Come again mate?" Harry said, confused.
"That's how long it's been since I met Scott." Ron spat.
"Ah. Right then." Harry said, taking another sip of his drink.
"Forty-seven days, six hours, and fourteen minutes."
"Ok, ok don't tell me…" Harry held up his hand. "That's how long it will be until you steal Hermione away from Scott and stop her from throwing her life away."
"No, wrong numbers. That would be when hell freezes over and pigs fly." Ron snapped back, burying his head in his hands.
"Right." Harry said, pulling out his wand.
"If you even think about transfiguring something into a pig and then levitating it, I swear Potter, I will hex you into next week!" Ron continued, without looking up.
"So what is that number anyway?" Harry said quickly, returning his wand to the inside pocket of his robes.
"Days since I lost hope." Ron said, finally looking his friend in the eye. "I'll see you later mate."
"Ron!" Harry called after him. "Ron wait!"
Ron didn't slow down.
"Fine! See you at seven then, for Dean's rehearsal dinner!" Harry shook his head as he watched Ron's shock of red hair become lost in the crowd.
Ron was looking forward to seeing his two schoolmates get married, but he wasn't looking forward to seeing his best mate, his friend, his soul mate, his perfect woman, his one and only on the arm of her perfect man.
Yes, that's what bothered Ron about Scott. Scott truly was perfect. He possessed no visible flaws. He was smart, funny, charismatic, rich, cultured, considerate, and he treated Hermione the way she deserved to be treated. But the really unforgivable thing was that Scott made Ron like him. No matter what, Ron could not bring himself to hate a man that made Hermione smile that much.
Ron opened the door to his flat and was nearly tackled by his sister.
"Ron!" She screeched. "I've been waiting for so long, I have to talk to you!"
"Why? What is it?" Ron said worriedly.
Ginny began talking faster than Ron thought was possible, gesticulating wildly.
"Dolarn…Hermione…and…he's…maybe…so…propose…SNAP OUT OF IT!"
Ron stared at Ginny open mouthed. "Wha—What?" He finally said.
Ginny sighed and began to talk slowly and patronizingly, "I just got a letter from Dolarn from Hermione. She says that Scott has started asking a lot of strange questions and she caught him putting a ring she had been missing for a week back into her jewelry box." After this she looked at Ron expectantly.
Ron stared back blankly. "So? She lost a ring, he found it. End of story. Why would she write to you about it?"
"Hermione thinks Scott's going to propose to her at the wedding tomorrow!" Ginny's voice continued to ring in Ron's ears even after she had finished shouting.
Propose? But he couldn't. He wouldn't! Going out with Scott was supposed to make Hermione realize that Ron always was and always would be the only man she wanted for all time. She wasn't supposed to replace him! She wouldn't say yes. She couldn't!
"Hermione must be mistaken." Ron said slowly.
Ginny rolled her eyes at him. "Dear brother, this is Hermione we're talking about. When was the last time she was wrong?"
Ok, she had a point there.
"But Hermione wouldn't just jump into something like this! She's only known him for what? A month and a half? There is no way she can begin to love someone in that short of a time. Hell, she doesn't even know him that well! She's gonna ruin her life! There is no way it would work." Ron said desperately.
"She says she's in love." Ginny said quietly.
Ron's stomach dropped at this new piece of information.
"No." He said firmly. "Love, no. Infatuation perhaps, but not love. It is impossible for her to fall in love so quickly."
"Says who?" Ginny asked. "Even you can't assign rules for love Ron."
"Ginny you know Hermione. She loves order and logic. She loves long bubble baths and coming to the Burrow for Christmas. She loves things that are warm and familiar. She loves singing along to old muggle music and the feeling she gets right after she learns something new. Do you know why she loves all of these?" Ron said.
"Enlighten me." Ginny said curiously.
"Because they've always been there. They're tried and true methods. She's counted on them forever, and she'll continue to count on them until the day she dies. Hermione needs someone she can depend on. She needs someone who would do anything for her. Someone that makes her feel safe and loved, someone who's been there since the beginning." Ron replied.
"Someone like you perhaps?" Ginny asked, but was ignored by her brother.
"I can't believe he's proposing." Ron continued. "What does he know about her?"
"That he shouldn't let her go." Ginny said simply.
"I mean really know about her." Ron said, shooting a glare at Ginny. "Does he know her Patronus is an otter? That her dad's nickname for her is Sunshine? That when the light hits her hair just right it looks like there's a halo around her head? Did he take the time to learn she didn't talk until age two, but when she started it was in complete sentences? Does he realize she started reading at age three? Does he know the name of her best friend from primary school? Does he know the name of her first pet?"
"But you do, don't you?" Ginny asked, smiling.
"Of course I bloody do!" Ron exclaimed. "How could I not know? It was me who was there all the time. It was me who had to comfort her whenever she was worried sick about Harry. It was me who always stood up to Malfoy for her. It was me who held her and consoled her when that portkey took Harry away from the third task. It was me who let her sleep in my bed in the hospital wing after the Department of Mysteries because she had nightmares. It was me who would always try to get her to stop studying and come out to have a snowball fight. It was me who came with her on her first trip to Hogsmeade. It was me who fully understood what danger she was in at the World Cup. It was me who got Malfoy to stop torturing her during the final battle. Where was Scott during all of this?"
"In America." Ginny stated.
"That's right." Ron affirmed. "Now he thinks he can just waltz right in here and steal Hermione from me?"
"You used to be fine with this." Ginny prodded.
"Well I'm not!" Ron bellowed. "Hermione needs someone who can embrace her for who she is, the girl she has been and the woman she will be. She deserves someone who sees all her faults and is amazed by her anyway. She deserves the best—oh blimey."
"What?" Ginny said, worried. "What's wrong?"
"Hermione deserves the best possible man. Bloody hell who am I kidding? I don't come close to Scott. Scott is the best man." Ron said, defeated.
"No he's not!" Ginny cried passionately. "Listen Ron, sure you're more than a bit thick. Sure you're not the smartest man alive. Sure you're not the most attractive bloke out there. Sure you're not a genius quidditch player—"
"Ok, ok, you can stop now!" Ron said, annoyed.
"My point is, in Hermione's eyes you are the best possible man." Ginny sighed.
"Even now that I let her go?" Ron asked uncertainly.
"Hermione has told me she couldn't stop loving you if she tried." Ginny said.
Ron felt like a huge weight had been lifted from his shoulders. "Are you serious?" He croaked.
"Yes, but if you ever tell her I said that I will deny it until the day I die. Understood?"
Ron didn't answer her. He was too giddy. She loved him. She really loved him. Ginny's voice cut into his thoughts.
"But of course you do realize that because Hermione loves order so much she's not going to mope over you and wait for you and chase you forever. I think there's a very good chance of her saying yes to Scott tomorrow." Ginny said plainly.
"What do I do then?" Ron asked weakly.
"You get to her first." Ginny replied.
The rehearsal dinner passed by in a blur. Ron vaguely remembered being introduced to Dean's stepbrothers. Ron vaguely remembered meeting Dean's and Parvati's parents. He knew where to stand and when to stand there. He knew who he escorted down the aisle. Oh how he knew who he escorted down the aisle.
By some cruel twist of fate, or perhaps by the deliberate planning of a Mr. Dean Thomas and Miss Parvati Patil Ron was escorting Hermione. It was hard, walking down an aisle in a wedding procession with the girl of your dreams when you weren't actually getting married, and, if you didn't play your cards right tomorrow, there was a good chance you could lose her forever.
A/N: Hope you liked it! Next, Dean and Parvati's wedding! So what do you say? Can we make it to 100? Thanks for reading!
